Tesla has begun deliveries of the long-anticipated Model 3 in the UK, with the first customers collecting their cars from the American firm's Heathrow dealership in West Drayton.

The electric saloon has been available to order in the UK since 1 May. Prices start from £38,050 for the entry-level Standard Range Plus, which has a WLTP-estimated range of 258 miles.

While official numbers aren't available, it's understood that around 50 customers collected their cars today (20 June), with the first deliveries of the zero-emissions model made to coincide with UK Clean Air Day. While initial deliveries are being made from Tesla Heathrow, customers will start to receive cars from other Tesla dealerships next week.

The Model 3 is being offered in right-hand drive in Standard Range Plus and dual-motor Long Range Performance forms. The latter starts from £48,590 and can reach 329 miles on a single charge. It's also available with an additional performance upgrade.

Tesla recently developed a new firmware update for European Model 3 Long Range models that will allow them to be charged at a rate of 200kW, making the Model 3 the fastest-charging car currently on sale in the UK.

With the firmware update, Long Range models can charge at up to 200kW at third-party charging stations. Tesla is also developing a fast-charging V3 Supercharger network for Europe, which will allow the cars to be charged at speeds of 250kW.

Both the Standard Range Plus and Long Range Model 3s come with aerodynamically optimised 18in alloy wheels as standard, with 20in alloys available as an option on the Performance Upgrade version. Prices include the UK government's £3500 plug-in car grant.

The Model 3 Performance, which has a 162mph top speed and can manage 0-62mph in 3.2sec, is priced from £56,900. It rides on 20in alloy wheels and includes a Premium interior package, which includes satellite-view navigation with live traffic, a premium 14-speaker audio system and in-car music and media streaming.

Tesla's 'full self-driving' autonomous functionality, which is due to roll out later this year, can be added for an additional £4900. The system can be installed post-purchase for £6800.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously confirmed that UK orders would go live in a tweet, allowing UK customers to place an order before Tesla raises the price of its 'full self-driving' autonomous functionality. Those placing orders in the US will need to pay an additional $1000 for the feature.

The car maker launched its configurator in December for European customers who had already put down a deposit for a Model 3, which in the process revealed previously unconfirmed pricing and range details.

The Model 3 went on show in UK dealerships for the first time at the beginning of this year, with demonstration models on display at Tesla’s London Park Royal and Manchester Stockport locations.

Tesla’s results from the third quarter of 2018 showed that it hit production targets for the Model 3, building 53,239 units. This followed a tumultuous second quarter in which a temporary ‘tent’ was constructed outside the firm’s Californian plant containing another production line so as to increase output.

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It's peanuts in this industry and makes me wonder why people - hacks and readers - give Elon Musk such an easy ride. Any other motor industry CEO is treated with some degree of scepticism, and if Musk was in any industry except this one he'd be written off online as a tax-avoiding fat-cat scumbag rather than the People's Hero.

But there are billionaires the public love to hate and billionaires whom they love and forgive for the precisely the same qualities - and whom they believe are infallible and will somehow save the world. None of the reporting of Tesla is anything like the coverage other companies gets. Little scrutiny, almost zero scepticism, just join the queue to say what a hero he is and to accept as truth anything we're old.

But there are billionaires the public love to hate and billionaires whom they love and forgive for the precisely the same qualities - and whom they believe are infallible and will somehow save the world. None of the reporting of Tesla is anything like the coverage other companies gets. Little scrutiny, almost zero scepticism, just join the queue to say what a hero he is and to accept as truth anything we're old.

Maybe it's because he's offering a vision that people believe in? (400K deposits) He and VW have turned the auto industry upside down in the last couple of years .. a shake up that's been a long time coming , especially for the German OEMs.

@Byzantine very little is really known of the directors of Ford, GM or Chrysler+X.. what kind of people they are, their hopes, their real attitudes to the environment, their real plans for EVs.
I think if anything we know too much about Tesla and Musk. There are many public skeptics who've bet big money by shorting Tesla stock.

This is just the start. Expect to see many more EV's in the road in the coming years. And many more manufacturers competing with Tesla. Time to embrace the future and ditch the old fossils that we currently drive.